diff --git a/drivers/gpio/gpiolib.c b/drivers/gpio/gpiolib.c
index 12b59cdffdf3..358f0ad9d0f8 100644
--- a/drivers/gpio/gpiolib.c
+++ b/drivers/gpio/gpiolib.c
@@ -1660,6 +1660,11 @@ static inline void gpiochip_irqchip_free_valid_mask(struct gpio_chip *gc)
  */
 int gpiochip_generic_request(struct gpio_chip *gc, unsigned int offset)
 {
+#ifdef CONFIG_PINCTRL
+	if (list_empty(&gc->gpiodev->pin_ranges))
+		return 0;
+#endif
+
 	return pinctrl_gpio_request(gc->gpiodev->base + offset);
 }
 EXPORT_SYMBOL_GPL(gpiochip_generic_request);
@@ -1671,6 +1676,11 @@ EXPORT_SYMBOL_GPL(gpiochip_generic_request);
  */
 void gpiochip_generic_free(struct gpio_chip *gc, unsigned int offset)
 {
+#ifdef CONFIG_PINCTRL
+	if (list_empty(&gc->gpiodev->pin_ranges))
+		return;
+#endif
+
 	pinctrl_gpio_free(gc->gpiodev->base + offset);
 }
 EXPORT_SYMBOL_GPL(gpiochip_generic_free);